Corporate-Sponsored Volunteering: A Work Design Perspective

Abstract

This study explored employee perceptions of participation in a corporate-sponsored volunteer initiative. Drawing on both questionnaire and focus group data, this study reaffirms the importance of altruistic concerns as a key driver for employee involvement in corporate- sponsored volunteering. Characteristics of the volunteering activity also emerged as important determinants of employee’s initial engagement and ongoing motivation for involvement in corporate-sponsored volunteering. In the same way that models of work design point to the value of enriched jobs, we see that there is scope to consider how corporate-sponsored volunteer programmes can be enriched so that employees have satisfying experiences and are more likely to participate. Enhancing perceptions of task significance and meaningfulness and incorporating relational elements into the volunteer activity seem to be especially critical in this regard.

de Gilder, D., T. N. M. Schuyt and M. Breedijk: 2005, ‘Effects of an employee volunteering program on the work force: The ABN-AMRO case’, Journal of Business Ethics61(2), 143-152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

MacPhail, F. and P. Bowles: 2009, ‘Corporate social responsibility as support for employee volunteers: Impacts, gender puzzles and policy implications in Canada’, Journal of Business Ethics84(3), 405-416.CrossRefGoogle Scholar